Reverend Ralph Barlow shared a quote from Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address: “With malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.“

ANNOUNCEMENTS, Etc.

President Art gave a special thank you to Steve Stoops for recording this week’s speaker on Facebook Live – a first for Providence Rotary!

Erica Busillo Adams brought speaker Kelly Nevins, Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, and Ellie Brown, Development Officer from the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, as her guests.

President Art and Pete Brock announced that the board has made the decision to move on from the Street Painting Festival and to create a new fundraising event – a “Legends Ball” - that will feature sports icons and local celebrities. The ball will likely take place at the Providence Marriott, feature a live auction, and also provide ample opportunities to highlight Rotary’s new children’s literacy initiative. Stay tuned for more details and opportunities to volunteer on ball sub-committees (logistics, auction, marketing and sponsorship, etc…).

Randy Dittmar still needs volunteers to help deliver dictionaries to 3rd graders in 15 additional Providence schools. Please contact him if you are able to help!

HAPPY BUCKS

Pete Brock – Is happy because his wedding is February 8! And, of course, because the Patriots are in the Super Bowl.

Barbara Harris – Is happy to be visiting from Miami and encourages her fellow Rotarians to come visit!

Don Saracen – Is happy for Pete, happy for Providence Rotary’s Facebook live, and would be happy to visit Barbara in Miami!

Kevin Kernan - Is happy for the 5 days he spent at the Borgata in Atlantic City at a poker tournament, where he made a little over $3,000. However, it cost him about $3,600 to win $3,000!

ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN
BENEFITS MEN, TOO

Kelly Nevins, executive director of the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, set the stage by informing us that the United States ranks 51 out of 149 countries in gender equity, that women continue to make 88 cents on a white man’s dollar, and that women continue to be underrepresented in C-Suite positions (even though women have 57% of Bachelor’s degrees).

Kelly encouraged men to be allies to women in the workplace, and explained that investing in women leaders equals more, not less opportunity for men (in fact, raising women’s employment would increase the GDP by 5%, 19% if we close the gender wage gap).

Kelly defined a male ally as a man who will advocate for women even if there are no women in the room and who will listen to women and co-create opportunities. A few examples of how men can be allies in the workplace are:

Mentor / sponsor an emerging female leader

Champion flexible working hours, paid sick and family leave for men and women, and childcare / elderly care stipends